Cathédrale Restaurant — Restaurant in New York

I had Cathédrale on my list for years, and I had been in the vicinity several times in that time span, but I never made a point to stop in. While looking through my list for a spot on short notice, the name popped up and I made a reservation on one of my nights off. I figured the restaurant's longevity was a good indicator that it still merited a visit.

When I arrived the place was pretty busy. As a result, my table wasn't quite ready. So I grabbed a drink at the bar, the "Saint-Tropez" (Hennessey VS, Lime, Melon, Mint, Ginger Beer). Normally I'm not a "Hennessey-Type-Guy" but I was feeling vacation vibes, so I rolled with it and it tasted great. I was solo dining and there was plenty of bar seating, but I elected to take a small table to myself. The two-person tables are a little close to each other (close enough to hear full conversations), but I was surrounded by pleasant NYers and travelers/tourists. I went in dressed up for the experience, and the staff looked sharp too, but don't be surprised to see touristy looking guests in casual attire on your visit.

Anyways, once I got to the table and had a moment to take a good look around, I felt that the expansiveness you feel in the pictures didn't exactly translate to the in-person feel. Though it didn't feel cavernous, the decor and atmosphere were still pleasant. If you're seated at the tables near the entry point to the dining room, you will have the bar/vestibule area to your back, without a full barrier. Some people might feel a little apprehensive about sitting there because of it. So keep that in mind if you're security conscious.

Regarding the food, I started with the potato chip omelette (Egg omelette, with white sturgeon caviar and chips). I was honestly hoping for some flavor, other than the ordinary, in the egg omelette, but it tasted like a regular solid omelette you make at home with a little salt. However, the chips, caviar, and crème fraîche, combined with some egg did taste good. It's a little heavy as a starter on a solo trip, but if your party is two or more, it might still make sense.

That was followed up by their filet mignon with a side of sautèed spinach. This was the star of the meal! Great flavor in the crust of the meat, was well as in the sauce. I recommend it! In fact, it was ordered by patrons on either side of me as well. So there might be something to it! While I was enjoying the filet mignon, I ordered a glass of the Bordeaux Blend on the menu. Unfortunately, they were out. That Cabernet blend was a solid substitute though, and the sommelier came to me directly to discuss the substitution options (which was greatly appreciated).

For dessert I can't remember the exact name of the dish, but it was essentially cake with strawberries on the side. I know that sounds simple, but it was very good and coincidentally, a great choice for me because I love strawberries among other things. I paired dessert with one last drink, the "Sgroppino," which, as promised, was prepared table-side. The guests at my neighboring tables and I were captivated by the show. The gentleman preparing the drink was actually Greek and we had a nice side convo about the origin of my name, a foundation for a good memory of the restaurant. The drink itself, made with Sorento lemon sorbet, Absolut Elyx vodka and Blanc De Blancs, was cool and refreshing, perfect for summer! I strongly recommend that as well.

All in all, it was a solid dining experience. There weren't any grave or egregious errors and therefore nothing that would make me detract a star from my review. I think the place is worth the trip and currently they have a three-course, Pris-Fixe, menu deal for $60.oo. If you use the Tao Group app, you can potentially score another 25% off of your bill as well. So there are PLENTY of reasons to make a stop in. Special shout out to my dining team, which included Nicola, Natalie, Faith and Constantine. They were kind and warm throughout the dinner service. Hopefully, you get a chance to dine with...

When we arrived we were seated in the patio area. While it is a beautiful green space, I wanted to sit in the main dining area to fully experience the grandeur of the sweeping deep blue and champagne colored curtains on dark walls, and most importantly, the lofty cathedral ceilings for which the restaurant is named. It took a little doing on their part, but they were able to accommodate my request and moved us to the main dining area. And yes, it was worth it. The sculpture suspended from the majestic, high ceiling is architecturally complex with various geometric shapes. The empty chasms between structures create as much visual interest as the sculpted contours themselves. As my date said, “it’s a vibe.” We were off to a good start.

We started with the Potato Chip Omlette, which admittedly sounds like something a 3 year old would demand for breakfast once denied their preferred choice of salted pretzels and mac and cheese. But then, that 3 year old would be a culinary genius. Imagine the perfect, tender, fluffy omlette, light and delicate in flavor, emboldened by a tangy crème fraiche, interplaying with the smooth mouth feel and wonderful pop of Kaluga caviar. Now throw on top some potato chips that amplify the saltiness of the caviar and complement the pop of the caviar with a gratifying crunch, and you have one of the most pleasing preparations of an egg I’ve had in my life…and I love eggs!

But then, like any journey, there are ups and downs, and the Octopus Grille was a disappointment. It was dry, and while not too tough, the meat itself just lacked flavor. Even though it was visually charred, I really didn’t appreciate the charred flavor. All the flavor came from the tomato ragout sauce, which while robust and tasty, really felt more suited for a pasta dish. It completely overpowered the octopus.

Thankfully, the shortcomings of that dish were not indicative of the rest of the meal. For my main entrée I enjoyed the Spiced Muscovy Duck Breast: thinly sliced, succulent duck, bathed in a Château Rieussec Sauternes base, beautifully balanced by wilted greens, roasted turnips and cherries. This savory preparation was accompanied by a nice portion of foie gras that really enhanced the richness of the dish. Very nicely done.

My favorite, however, was my date’s Black Truffle Fettuccine. Firstly, the pasta itself was just a thing of beauty: fresh, buttery and perfectly al dente. The French butter, cracked pepper and parmesan was perfectly proportioned, giving a refined, subtle flavor. AND THEN generous black truffle shavings (I mean like you would’ve thought it was raining truffle from the sky) ensconced the pasta. I thought the truffle would overwhelm the dish, but to my absolute delight it was “Perfectly balanced, as all things should be,” (Thanos would be pleased). And if that is not enough truffle for you, pair it with the Venus in Truffe. It’s a dainty little cocktail with gin, vodka and honey wine with a large shaving of black truffle floating on top. With every sip, you get a nose of earthy, fragrant truffle to accompany the herbaceous notes from the spirits. I definitely enjoyed it.

Speaking of enjoyment, we ended on a wonderful high note. Dessert! At first, we ordered the Chocolate Souffle. And you know what? We knew better. The best souffles need to be ordered at the beginning of the meal to give ample time to rise to peak perfection by dessert time. We ordered ours at the end of our meal, and it was quite a soupy mess inside. But like I said, we ended on a high note when without fuss they let us exchange our faux pas for the Greek Napoleon. This is the perfect summer dessert: airy shredded ribbons of phyllo pastry upholding a heap of fresh fruits, berries and almonds with wildflower honey drizzled on top table side.

Overall we had a great experience and would...

If I could describe this place in 1 sentence: Beautiful restaurant, sub par food. Had REALLY high expectations based off of TikTok's and pictures I saw online. But what did I expect listening to influencers, that's my own fault.

I was thinking it would be spacious inside since photos made it appear so, but it was much smaller than I had expected. The ambiance and decor is definitely beautiful though! The service and staff was fantastic - constantly checking on us, making sure we were good on our drinks, etc. NOTE: We went on a Sunday at 5PM which is when they first open up so they were not busy at all, so keep that in mind since I'm unsure how it usually is later on in the night when it gets busy.

I went with a big group so we ordered a lot of different apps, cocktails and entrees. They served some breadsticks and fresh bread and whipped butter for the table. NOTE: Appetizers were definitely on the small side, enough for 2 or even 1. So if you're thinking of sharing with a huge group please order multiple of each! For appetizers we ordered a dozen oysters (the oysters we received had little meat in them, so I thought they were not worth the price), hamachi crudo (I liked this one a lot, it has 4 pieces), potato chip omelette (someone else ordered this for themselves and they actually weren't a fan of this one), burrata (has 1 piece), octopus grille (was ok), and a couple orders of Onion Soup Au Père Louis (they were in big bowls so can definitely be shared between 2 people). We all honestly were really disappointed the soup was not good (especially that it was $20+). Entrees we ordered were the salmon (pretty good), black truffle fettuccine (I actually liked this dish out of all! The pasta was made fresh & I loved the truffle sauce), lamb chops (they were ok), 8oz prime cheeseburger (I did not get to try this one so no review on it), Maine lobster rigatoni (was just ok), and 24oz prime aged ribeye (second favorite dish of all we ordered - it was cooked how we wanted it, juicy and flavorful). For desserts we ordered the honey crisp apple beignets and chocolate soufflé with vanilla ice cream. The beignets weren't bad (tasted like apple pie donuts), but the soufflé we loved more. The cocktails here are definitely on the strong side, but I enjoyed them! San Simon, Barcelonette (my fave) and tequila espresso martini to end the night.

To summarize: the restaurant is beautiful, service on point, but I expected more when it came to the food aspect. Food is just okay. Not phenomenal, which is what I expect for the prices. I'm not completely blacklisting Cathedrale overall from my list, I would go back for cocktails with friends (and the black truffle...